AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Bonzie – When I Found The Trap Door CD/LP (Beevine)
The latest album from Bonzie, When I Found The Trap Door, affirms her as the rare pop visionary with the power to transform our perception of the world. Fully produced by Bonzie – who also served as the sole writer on every song and played a variety of instruments throughout the album – When I Found The Trap Door further expands her singular artistry and mines inspiration from such eclectic sources as the psychedelic sci-fi of Satoshi Kon’s Paprika and the elemental folk/blues of guitarist Elizabeth Cotten. The result: a body of work that provides a welcome rupture from the confines of reality, inviting both illuminating contemplation and absolute surrender.
Bishop Briggs – tell my therapist i’m fine CD/LP (Bishop Briggs/Terry 18, Inc.)
Bishop Briggs new album, tell my therapist i’m fine, tackles themes of breaking societal standards and unapologetically stepping into your own power. Motivated by the need to continue honoring her late sister’s spirit, Briggs weaves her loss and grief into life-honoring moments that are buoyant, irreverent and embracing. Her 10-track album kicks off its first release with “Mona Lisa On A Mattress” which Briggs shared “is about a messy, sexy, toxic relationship I fell hopelessly into.”
Tim Heidecker – Slipping Away CD/LP (Bloodshot)
After the breakthroughs of 2020’s wistfully lush Fear Of Death, and 2022’s High School, whose tales of nostalgia were never quite as distant as they seemed, the multi-hyphenate comedian and songwriter Heidecker has reached a new peak with Slipping Away, his warmest and fullest record to date. While all his albums are concept records to some degree, this one tells a story on a larger scale, offering an imagistic framework that allows for some of his brightest melodies, heaviest themes (the feeling of before the fall and after), and most direct and vulnerable lyrics. [An indie store exclusive teal color vinyl pressing is available.]
Boney James – Slow Burn CD/LP (Concord)
Slow Burn: A feeling that grows with a slow but deliberate intensity. That sums up Boney James’ music, career and the vibe of his newest album. The iconic 4x Grammy-nominated sax man’s 19th album is another deliberate step on his creative journey. Featuring legendary jazz/R&B artists Marcus Miller and Cory Henry, the record also spotlights R&B’s next superstar, October London. With 10 songs, eight originals plus homages to Herbie Hancock and Stanley Turrentine, Slow Burn is Boney James at his best.
Jordana – Lively Premonition CD/LP (Grand Jury)
23-year-old, Maryland-raised songwriter Jordana arrived on the music scene with 2020’s Classical Notions Of Happiness, an album of lo-fi pop and hushed folk songs recorded in her Maryland & Kansas bedrooms. She’d be back by the end of that same year with Something To Say To You, a compilation of two EPs featuring craggy indie rock and brokenhearted acoustic fare recorded in NYC apartment studios with friends. By 2022 she was swinging for the fences with the pristine pop of Face The Wall, all while shuttling back and forth between Brooklyn and her soon-to-be home of Eagle Rock, LA collaborating on a wide array of projects with a who’s who of Gen Z artists: Magdalena Bay, TV Girl, Yot Club, Paul Cherry, Dent May, Inner Wave. So, her vibrant fourth LP, Lively Premonition, which is equal parts Laurel Canyon folk and shimmering yacht rock, should surprise no one. [A blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kylie Minogue – Tension II CD/LP (BMG)
Tension II, the high-energy, high-octane partner of the #1 album and global smash Tension, sees Kylie head further into the electronic space and is packed full of dance floor anthems. The collection of 13 songs includes nine brand-new studio tracks, led by the single “Lights Camera Action,” as well as the dance hit “Edge of Saturday Night,” with The Blessed Madonna, plus collaborations with Orville Peck, Bebe Rexha, Tove Lo and Sia. [Along with a clear pressing, an indie store exclusive yellow colorway is available.]
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Long After Dark (Deluxe Edition) 2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (MCA)
Newly remastered edition of Tom Petty And the Heartbreakers’ classic 1982 album Long After Dark, featuring “You Got Lucky,” “Change of Heart,” and “Straight Into Darkness.” This expanded set includes 12 rediscovered tracks, seven of which are previously unreleased (featuring “Never Be You”), along with new liner notes by David Fricke, hi-res stereo and an all new ATMOS mix of the album by Ryan Ulyate (CD version only). [An indie store exclusive turquoise color vinyl pressing is available.]
Phantogram – Memory Of A Day CD/LP (Neon Gold)
Phantogram returns with Memory Of A Day, the band’s highly anticipated fifth album. Known for their genre-defying sound, Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel once again push boundaries with a mesmerizing blend of dark psychedelia, electronic pop and hard-hitting beats, exploring themes of nostalgia and memories. Featuring the hypnotic lead singles “Come Alive” and “All A Mystery,” co-produced by Grammy-winner John Hill. [An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
Pinhead Gunpowder – Unt CD/LP/Cassette (1-2-3-4 Go!)
“Pinhead Gunpowder started writing songs in 1990 and made our first 7-inch the following spring. Nearly every year since, we’ve met up to play. Some years we recorded five albums and eleven EPs – and some years we played shows. But since 2010, we’ve been playing just for ourselves, something bands forget to do. Rather than ‘writing for the new album’ or rehearsing to get ready for tour, we went back to the basement every year. We lived in the house we’d built, remembering how we’d made the music for each other in the first place. We played all over the world-well, at least Oakland, Singapore and New York-but only for each other. We worked on the reissues of our back catalog, too and found ourselves fonder of each other and more family-like than ever. A new record and tour was only a matter of time, but between the members’ other bands projects, and families, that was hard to find. When we finally did, we were all surprised. We think it’s our best yet-our catchiest, most collaborative, and most poignant.” – Aaron Cometbus [A red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Porridge Radio – Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
“All the songs started out as poems,” says Margolin of the work that became Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me, “I wanted to challenge myself.” In a song, Dana argues, the writer can always hide behind the tricks of the music and well-worn techniques such as repetition. “In a poem, though,” says Dana, “it’s just words and that’s it.” Recorded in the Somerset countryside in early 2024 by longtime Big Thief and Laura Marling engineer Dom Monks, Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me is Porridge Radio’s new album and first new music in two years. The UK band’s new album is a coming-of-age moment inspired by burnout, the music industry, the brutal collapse of a relationship and – crucially – Dana’s own increasing immersion in her craft as an artist. “A lot of this album is about a more frenetic and desperate kind of love,” says Dana, “it is about completely losing my sense of self in a relationship, and the deep residue of insecurity and pain that lingered and clouded a new relationship.” [A white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Benjamin Tod – Shooting Star CD/LP (Thirty Tigers/Lost Dog Street Band)
The fourth solo record from Lost Dog Street Band frontman Benjamin Tod, Shooting Star pays homage to multiple decades of country music through Tod’s highly revered and honest songwriting. [An indie store exclusive green smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]
Jovin Webb – Drifter CD/LP (Howlin’ Dog)
Drifter is the sound of a blues life searching for a gospel redemption. “It’s me trying to figure out religion, women, my career, and everything I’ve gone through,” Jovin says. The twelve tracks on Drifter evoke a blues classicism without ever feeling nostalgic or derivative. Jovin Webb dazzled millions of viewers on American Idol with his bayou mystique, his humility, and his distinctive gravelly vocals. Now, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based artist steps forward with his debut album, Drifter, produced by multi-Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Kingfish). The 12-song collection is a vibrant mix of growling low-down blues, Jovin’s wailing harmonica, heartfelt soul ballads, and rowdy, Little Richards-style rock ‘n’ roll.
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
The Specials – The Specials [Reissue/1979] LP (Chrysalis)
Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Includes OBI. The Specials are one of the defining bands of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s along with Jerry Dammers’ iconic label Two Tone Records. Originally formed in 1977 as The Coventry Automatics, The Specials combined Jamaican ska and Rocksteady mixed with the energy of punk and launched a whole Ska Revival which helped fellow like-minded bands Madness, The Beat and The Selecter to release their first singles.
CDs + Vinyl:
Aries Descendant – From The Ashes Of Deceit CD (Frontiers)
A true symphonic metal cinematic opus, with majestic orchestrations, roaring riffs and an amazing vocal performance.
Chet Baker – Late Night Jazz CD/LP (Elemental Music)
A superb 1988 quartet studio performance recorded just three months before Chet’s death, featuring audio transferred from the original tape reels.
Bonzie – When I Found The Trap Door CD/LP (Beevine)
The latest album from Bonzie, When I Found The Trap Door, affirms her as the rare pop visionary with the power to transform our perception of the world. Fully produced by Bonzie – who also served as the sole writer on every song and played a variety of instruments throughout the album – When I Found The Trap Door further expands her singular artistry and mines inspiration from such eclectic sources as the psychedelic sci-fi of Satoshi Kon’s Paprika and the elemental folk/blues of guitarist Elizabeth Cotten. The result: a body of work that provides a welcome rupture from the confines of reality, inviting both illuminating contemplation and absolute surrender.
Bishop Briggs – tell my therapist i’m fine CD/LP (Bishop Briggs/Terry 18, Inc.)
Bishop Briggs new album, tell my therapist i’m fine, tackles themes of breaking societal standards and unapologetically stepping into your own power. Motivated by the need to continue honoring her late sister’s spirit, Briggs weaves her loss and grief into life-honoring moments that are buoyant, irreverent and embracing. Her 10-track album kicks off its first release with “Mona Lisa On A Mattress” which Briggs shared “is about a messy, sexy, toxic relationship I fell hopelessly into.”
bôa – Whiplash CD/LP (Nettwerk)
Whiplash is the first album recorded by bôa in over twenty years, following the incredible reemergence of “Duvet”. The album is a collection of melody-driven narratives, leaning into the emotive and relatable lyricism which resonates so well with fans. Whiplash is very human and uniquely universal – reflecting on the tides of time and relationships, which can refer to past entanglements, deep-rooted friendships, or even the abruptness of social change around us today.
Jerry Cantrell – I Want Blood CD/2xLP (Double J)
Jerry Cantrell’s (Alice In Chains) fourth solo album, I Want Blood, was co-produced by Jerry Cantrell and Joe Barresi. The album features contributions from Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Gil Sharone (Team Sleep, Stolen Babies), Mike Bordin (Faith No More) and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-The Dillinger Escape Plan). [A blood red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Cloud Nothings – Here And Nowhere Else [Reissue/2014] CD/2xLP (Pure Noise)
10th anniversary edition. Here And Nowhere Else is the fourth album overall by Cleveland-based indie rock band Cloud Nothings. [An indie store exclusive blue and white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Cosmic Putrefaction – Emerald Fires Atop The Farewell Mountains CD/LP (Profound Lore)
Gabriele Gramaglia is back with his main solo output Cosmic Putrefaction for another chapter of his own tale under the banner Emerald Fires Atop The Farewell Mountains. Musically speaking, the concept is depicted through an even broader palette of influences compared with its predecessor, ranging from the most hammering death metal riffs, to progressive veins and even shades of symphonic black metal, embraced through an almost omnipresent wide atmosphere and multilayered arrangements of distant guitars, cellos and synths.
Culture – Good Things [Reissue/1989] CD/LP (Diggers Factory)
The group formed by the legendary Joseph Hill, accompanied by his two acolytes Albert Walker and Kenneth Dayes, delivers an album recorded at Mixing Lab and mixed at the Lion & Fox studio (reference studio for the RAS label) in 1989. Recorded with three brass instruments, bass, drums, keyboards and percussion, it’s in the pure roots tradition, with a few interesting dub twists. There’s also a tribute to Bob Marley entitled “Psalm of Bob Marley” and the excellent “Cousin Rude Boy”.
Iris DeMent – My Life [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Yep Roc)
My Life, Americana trailblazer Iris DeMent’s sophomore album, cemented her legacy as one of the nation’s greatest living songwriters. Dedicated to her father, Patrick Shaw DeMent, who died in 1992, the album illustrates DeMent’s razor-sharp songwriting on originals like “Sweet Is the Melody,” “No Time to Cry” and the title track. The songs “are jewels of universal longing” (Chicago Tribune) and “it is nearly impossible to exaggerate the beauty of these recordings.” (AllMusic) [A maroon color vinyl pressing is available.]
DGM – Endless CD (Frontiers)
DGM is an Italian progressive metal band.
Ensiferum – Winter Storm CD/LP (Metal Blade)
New release from the Finnish folk metal band.
Kelly Finnigan – A Lover Was Born CD/LP/Cassette (Colemine)
The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of Midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]
Wyatt Flores – Welcome To The Plains CD/2xLP (Island)
Welcome To The Plains is the debut album from Wyatt Flores. Across its 14 epic tracks, Wyatt writes about home, happiness, family and the place that raised him – Stillwater, Oklahoma. The album is happy on one side and heartbreak on the other. It’s powerful storytelling and tight musicianship creates a classic album for the ages that is a true front to back experience.
Frost – Life In The Wires CD/2xCD/2xLP (Inside Out)
Life In The Wires is Frost at its most ambitious, offering nearly 90 minutes of music over 14 exquisite tracks. The album is the brainchild of Godfrey who was inspired to create the conceptual world for the album based on the group’s previous release Day And Age (2021). Fans of the band’s masterful debut album Milliontown (2006) will enjoy the band revisiting the style that made that debut album one of the most successful prog rock albums of the last 20 years, a fact that was not lost on Godfrey as he was writing this new record.
Frozen Crown – War Hearts CD (Napalm)
New release by the Italian power metal band. War Hearts marks the band’s fifth album in their seven-year career and their first as a six-piece band, capturing the essence of Frozen Crown’s dynamic sound brimming with powerful riffs, unforgettable melodies, and raw energy.
Funeral – Gospel Of Bones CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Funeral, hailing from the icy landscapes of Norway, stands solemn as stalwart guardians of the Funeral doom metal genre. With roots intertwining the sorrow of a wake and the heaviness of bowed boughs bearing winter’s weight, their music is a vessel of mourning and memory.
Grand Magus – Sunraven CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
The tenth Grand Magus album and their first concept record, Sunraven is a return to the heavy metal might of Wolf God and Sword Songs, but with an underlying story adding greater depth to the Swedes’ earthy bombast. Made manifest via a grandiose production, inspired by the revered Old English epic poem of Beowulf. In true heavy metal style, these nine new songs dive deep into heroic fantasy, but with the same real-world resonances that are scorched into the genre’s calloused skin.
Liv Green – Deep Feeler CD/LP (Free Dirt)
Liv Greene isn’t running from herself anymore. She’s pried herself open and let real longing, frustration, and love break free. Deep Feeler, her sophomore album, is a reckoning with reality, a vulnerable snapshot of hard-won self-acceptance. It’s feminine, queer, and defiant. It also heralds the arrival of Greene as a powerful new voice who joins the songwriting tradition of Emmylou, Patty, Gillian, and Lucinda – in her own way.
Riley Green – Don’t Mind If I Do CD/2xLP (Nashville Harbor)
With his third studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do, Riley Green delivers more of the signature sound fans can’t get enough of. Continuing down the path he set forth with Ain’t My Last Rodeo, Green leans even further in pulling inspiration from his small-town life in rural Alabama to deliver an honest, relatable 18-track set. [A ‘silverstone’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Harald Grosskpf – Strom CD/LP (Bureau B)
New album by the electronic musician. You don’t really need to say much about this man: co-founder of Wallenstein, drummer on at least two of the most wonderful Krautrock albums (namely Mother Universe and Cosmic Century), member of the legendary Kosmische Kuriere, records with Ash Ra Temple and Klaus Schulze, and more. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]
Roy Hargrove’s Crisol – Grande-Terre CD/2xLP (Verve)
In April of 1998, fresh off their Grammy win for Best Latin Jazz Performance for their debut effort, Habana, Roy Hargrove’s Crisol went into a studio in Guadalupe to record their follow-up album. Until now, that album, Grande-Terre, has never been heard. Featuring an all-star band of Roy’s long-time collaborators, Grande-Terre showcases Hargrove’s fiery playing, his exquisite writing and the band’s incredible power and unique sound.
Tim Heidecker – Slipping Away CD/LP (Bloodshot)
After the breakthroughs of 2020’s wistfully lush Fear Of Death, and 2022’s High School, whose tales of nostalgia were never quite as distant as they seemed, the multi-hyphenate comedian and songwriter Heidecker has reached a new peak with Slipping Away, his warmest and fullest record to date. While all his albums are concept records to some degree, this one tells a story on a larger scale, offering an imagistic framework that allows for some of his brightest melodies, heaviest themes (the feeling of before the fall and after), and most direct and vulnerable lyrics. [An indie store exclusive teal color vinyl pressing is available.]
Joe Henry – Blood From Stars [Reissue/2009] CD/2xLP (earMUSIC)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition. Joe Henry’s 2009 record Blood From Stars sees him exploring the realms of orchestral blues and jazz. Not only is Henry a Grammy Award winning producer, but also a well-respected and prolific artist in his own right. With his evocative lyrics and soulful vocal delivery, Henry crafts a poignant narrative that stands as a testament to his terrific skills as a songwriter and lyricist. Supported by the likes of guitarist Marc Ribot and pianist Patrick Warren, the album leans into the darker and more raw sounds of blues – a departure from the expected Joe Henry sound to create something new but captivating all the same.
High Vis – Guided Tour CD/LP (Dais)
Since first forming in 2016, London’s High Vis have steadily polished their palette of progressive hardcore with shades of post-punk, Brit pop, neo-psychedelia, and even Madchester groove, mapping a middle ground between hooks and fury, melodies and mosh pits. Singer Graham Sayle describes their third album Guided Tour as an axis of competing forces: “It’s trying to be a hopeful record, while also being incensed.” Rounded out by drummer Edward ‘Ski’ Harper, guitarists Martin MacNamara and Rob Hammaren, and bassist Jack Muncaster, the band’s deep roots in the UK and Irish DIY hardcore scenes have kept them grounded but growing, inspired equally by restlessness and righteous anger. As Sayle puts it, “Everyone’s scratching, everyone’s working all the time, and their idea of relaxing is just getting f***ed and avoiding reality. This album is an escape from that.” [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]
Immortal Bird – Sin Querencia CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
Chicago’s most uniquely harrowing and technically ferocious chaos unit Immortal Bird are back with their highly anticipated third album. 2019’s Thrive On Neglect saw the band maneuvering through an amalgam of sounds, blossoming into a warped and angular display of multi-layered anguish, that now serves as a springboard for further expansion on new album Sin Querencia.
Abandoning genre constraints, Immortal Bird coherently fuse elements of death and black metal, hardcore tumult, a dose of their city’s noise rock agitation, and a compositional complexity that recalls stalwart boundary-pushers like Gorguts and Ulcerate. [A bone-cloudy color vinyl pressing is available.]
Boney James – Slow Burn CD/LP (Concord)
Slow Burn: A feeling that grows with a slow but deliberate intensity. That sums up Boney James’ music, career and the vibe of his newest album. The iconic 4x Grammy-nominated sax man’s 19th album is another deliberate step on his creative journey. Featuring legendary jazz/R&B artists Marcus Miller and Cory Henry, the record also spotlights R&B’s next superstar, October London. With 10 songs, eight originals plus homages to Herbie Hancock and Stanley Turrentine, Slow Burn is Boney James at his best.
Japandroids – Fate And Alcohol CD/LP (ANTI-)
After seven years, Japandroids have returned with Fate And Alcohol, their fourth and final full-length. Written in part while the Vancouver duo-guitarist-vocalist Brian King and drummer-vocalist David Prowse-were touring behind their 2017 ANTI- debut, Near To The Wild Heart Of Life, the album is at once a return to form and a thrilling step forward, testament to the sort of chemistry that they’ve honed over the course of 18 years and hundreds of shows side-by-side. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Jordana – Lively Premonition CD/LP (Grand Jury)
23-year-old, Maryland-raised songwriter Jordana arrived on the music scene with 2020’s Classical Notions Of Happiness, an album of lo-fi pop and hushed folk songs recorded in her Maryland & Kansas bedrooms. She’d be back by the end of that same year with Something To Say To You, a compilation of two EPs featuring craggy indie rock and brokenhearted acoustic fare recorded in NYC apartment studios with friends. By 2022 she was swinging for the fences with the pristine pop of Face The Wall, all while shuttling back and forth between Brooklyn and her soon-to-be home of Eagle Rock, LA collaborating on a wide array of projects with a who’s who of Gen Z artists: Magdalena Bay, TV Girl, Yot Club, Paul Cherry, Dent May, Inner Wave. So, her vibrant fourth LP, Lively Premonition, which is equal parts Laurel Canyon folk and shimmering yacht rock, should surprise no one. [A blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Karate – Make It Fit CD/LP/Cassette (Numero)
The first new music from the post-emo trio in two decades. Out of the brain of Geoff Farina spills 10 new tales from their unlikely reunion, tracked with long-time Karate collaborator Andy Hong. Make It Fit crams 35 minutes of Wes Montgomery homage, Fugazi dub plate party rocking, Lynott lyricism, and Clash city crooning into a graceful seventh album. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]
Albert King / Stevie Ray Vaughan – In Session 2xCD/3xLP (Craft Recordings)
Released to celebrate Albert King’s centennial, his 1999 live album In Session with Stevie Ray Vaughan is now available in its entirety for the first time. Recorded live for television at CHCH-TV studios in Ontario, Canada in 1983, this is the only known recording of Vaughan and King playing together. Also featured are Tony Llorens (piano/organ), Gus Thornton (bass), and Michael Llorens (drums).
The Kinks – Sleepwalker [Reissue/1977] CD/LP (BMG)
The Kinks – Misfits [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (BMG)
The Kinks’ 16th and 17th studio albums, newly remastered from the original tapes. Released in February 1977, Sleepwalker marked a significant shift for the band, as it moved away from the conceptual work that had characterized their early ’70s output toward a return to a more conventional, mainstream rock ‘n’ roll sound with contemporary, polished production and a focus on accessible melodic rock. Meanwhile, Misfits holds a significant place in The Kinks’ discography, showcasing their continued relevance and adaptability in the changing music landscape of the late 1970s.
Kurious – Majician CD/2xLP (Rhymesayers)
By his early 20s, Kurious was already an in-demand voice on the mic. His 1994 major label debut album, A Constipated Monkey, is a classic of its style, marked by heavy beats and nimble rhymes that are razor-sharp yet frequently hilarious. Despite being hailed as one of hip-hop’s most compelling lyricists, he didn’t release another solo LP for the rest of that decade, but he continued to be sought after. Rap fans the world over know him for his verse on “?.” one of the standout songs from his longtime friend and collaborator MF DOOM’s heralded Operation: Doomsday. As he prepares for the release of his new album, Majician – the nickname his peers blessed him with a generation ago – Kurious is well on his way to establishing the legacy he’s long deserved. The LP, which was executive produced by MF DOOM before his passing, is a mesmerizing blend of technical wizardry and personal introspection. [A red/yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dean Lewis – The Epilogue CD/LP (Capitol)
Global superstar Dean Lewis has a hotly anticipated third studio album, The Epilogue. The 12-track album includes his previous singles, “Trust Me Mate” and “Memories” as well as the recently released, “All I Ever Wanted.” [A white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Alex Lore – Motivity CD/LP (Outside In Music)
An object in motion stays in motion, as Newton eloquently explained. Thus, we have the link connecting one enterprising artist to another. With Motivity, his fifth album to date, saxophonist Alex Lore draws a direct line from his chordless trio approach to that of his mentor, the late Lee Konitz, on Motion (Verve, 1961). Working with two of the finest rhythm modernists on today’s scene-bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Johnathan Blake-LoRe upholds his reputation as an inveterate creative, presenting a thoughtfully constructed program highlighting his love for melody, communion and pure improvisation as they relate to both the source material and his own search for meaning in music.
Matty – Pops CD/LP (Lex)
Over the past 14 years, Matthew Tavares (aka Matty) has gone from being the founding member and keyboardist of the acclaimed jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD, to an in demand producer working with some of the biggest names in music, to a song-writer and artist in his own right, whose sensitive and raw output combined with an aversion to following the norms of the music industry has led to a dedicated cult fan base. Pops weaves a tapestry of shimmering indie-rock and infectious melodies that build on the canon of popular music and take it into the modern era. Expect swirling guitars, driving beats, and Matty’s signature ethereal vocals, all coalescing to create a deeply personal and emotionally resonant listening experience. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Maul – In The Jaws Of Bereavement CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
While the rotten death metal heart at the core of the Maul is without question, the band have no shame in their game when it comes to embracing a penchant for the heavier side of hardcore with mosh-ready riffs and crowd-killing breaks. In The Jaws Of Bereavement manages to so skillfully fuse the eerie apparitions and melodic lead work of death metal’s greats with the punishing rhythms of hardcore’s violent power it feels completely organic. It’s all tied together by the unhinged vocal prowess of the human wrecking ball Garrett Alvarado. [A ‘bone and beer-evement’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
MC5 – Heavy Lifting CD/2xCD/LP/2xLP (earMUSIC)
New studio album by Detroit’s punk rock pioneers. Led by MC5 founding member Wayne Kramer and produced by the iconic Bob Ezrin, Heavy Lifting signifies a momentous occasion – the release of new MC5 music, a staggering 53 years since their last album in 1971. The Album features an all-star lineup of guest musicians including Slash, Tom Morello, William Duvall (Alice in Chains), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), and many more. Deluxe double-CD and double-LP editions include bonus live tracks. [An ‘arctic pearl’ single-disc color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kylie Minogue – Tension II CD/LP (BMG)
Tension II, the high-energy, high-octane partner of the #1 album and global smash Tension, sees Kylie head further into the electronic space and is packed full of dance floor anthems. The collection of 13 songs includes nine brand-new studio tracks, led by the single “Lights Camera Action,” as well as the dance hit “Edge of Saturday Night,” with The Blessed Madonna, plus collaborations with Orville Peck, Bebe Rexha, Tove Lo and Sia. [Along with a clear pressing, an indie store exclusive yellow colorway is available.]
Mother Of Graves – Periapt Of Absence CD/LP (Profound Lore)
After the success and lasting impact of their debut 2022 full-length, Where The Shadows Adorn, Indianapolis melodic death-doom purveyors Mother Of Graves return to the surface with a new and prolific dose of melancholy.
NRBQ – Brass Tacks [Reissue/2014] CD/LP (Omnivore Recordings)
Tenth anniversary edition. “If you look it up in your dictionary, you’ll find that “getting down to brass tacks” means to get down to some sort of serious business. But for NRBQ-in general, and specifically on this outstanding album from 2014 – it means getting down to the business of making unique, memorable music while also having some serious fun.” – John DeAngelis from his liner notes
Joy Oladokun – Observations From A Crowded Room CD/LP (Republic)
Observations From A Crowded Room is Joy Oladokun’s latest album offering. Observations is an extremely personal and vulnerable body of work for Joy who buried herself in all parts of the project. The entire album was self-produced, written and performed by none other than Joy. With subject matter dealing with events in her life and her time in Nashville, the project is sure to be one that fans appreciate.
Orion Sun – Orion CD/LP (Mom + Pop Music)
Orion features production by Grammy award-winning producer Nascent (SZA, Brent Faiyaz, Lil Wayne, etc.) and Rodaidh (Don Toliver, Adele, Sampha, etc.) “This album, like all of my albums, is about love. It’s about the pain love brings whether you are with or without love. Pain finds you and tells you sweet things like “you will grow from this”, or “you wouldn’t have learned this without knowing me…”
Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate CD/LP (dh2)
Dreamstate is Kelly Lee Owens’ fourth studio album, and her first released at new label home dh2 – a brand-new electronic music imprint at renowned independent label Dirty Hit being spearheaded by George Daniel of The 1975. There’s an incredible feeling of freedom and escapism found throughout Dreamstate, born from the experience of inner evolution in the aftermath of a break-up. It’s the sound of a person letting loose and letting go while encouraging everyone else to do the same. [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Aaron Parks – Little Big III CD/LP (Blue Note)
Pianist and composer Aaron Parks returns to Blue Note Records – where he released his influential 2008 album, Invisible Cinema – with Little Big III, the third studio album from his acclaimed band Little Big, featuring guitarist Greg Tuohey, bassist David Ginyard Jr., and drummer Jongkuk Kim. Co-produced by Parks and Don Was, the collective’s concise, accessible writing and vibrant, empathetic playing elevate the band’s powerfully modern, post-genre concept for improvised music in the 21st century. Throughout, the bandmembers’ kinship is palpable. There’s a vitality at play on the record that is extraordinary; somehow, it’s beautiful and raw in equal measure.
Jerron Paxton – Things Done Changed CD/LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Growing up in Los Angeles, Jerron Paxton would sit with an ear by the radio, eagerly absorbing the nuances and history of Black American traditional music that connect him to his ancestral roots in the South. A songwriter, inheritor of tradition, and a walking, talking jukebox, Paxton approaches his craft with equal part wit and reverence, with a knack for leg-pulling and cracking wise. Things Done Changed is an album of original songs that sound beamed in from nearly a century ago, when jazz and blues were performed as a means of both personal and cultural survival. Lick by lick, Paxton builds a bridge between generations gone and generations to come, singing the heartaches and joys of the past and present.
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Long After Dark (Deluxe Edition) 2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (MCA)
Newly remastered edition of Tom Petty And the Heartbreakers’ classic 1982 album Long After Dark, featuring “You Got Lucky,” “Change of Heart,” and “Straight Into Darkness.” This expanded set includes 12 rediscovered tracks, seven of which are previously unreleased (featuring “Never Be You”), along with new liner notes by David Fricke, hi-res stereo and an all new ATMOS mix of the album by Ryan Ulyate (CD version only). [An indie store exclusive turquoise color vinyl pressing is available.]
Phantogram – Memory Of A Day CD/LP (Neon Gold)
Phantogram returns with Memory Of A Day, the band’s highly anticipated fifth album. Known for their genre-defying sound, Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel once again push boundaries with a mesmerizing blend of dark psychedelia, electronic pop and hard-hitting beats, exploring themes of nostalgia and memories. Featuring the hypnotic lead singles “Come Alive” and “All A Mystery,” co-produced by Grammy-winner John Hill. [An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
Pinhead Gunpowder – Unt CD/LP/Cassette (1-2-3-4 Go!)
“Pinhead Gunpowder started writing songs in 1990 and made our first 7-inch the following spring. Nearly every year since, we’ve met up to play. Some years we recorded five albums and eleven EPs – and some years we played shows. But since 2010, we’ve been playing just for ourselves, something bands forget to do. Rather than ‘writing for the new album’ or rehearsing to get ready for tour, we went back to the basement every year. We lived in the house we’d built, remembering how we’d made the music for each other in the first place. We played all over the world-well, at least Oakland, Singapore and New York-but only for each other. We worked on the reissues of our back catalog, too and found ourselves fonder of each other and more family-like than ever. A new record and tour was only a matter of time, but between the members’ other bands projects, and families, that was hard to find. When we finally did, we were all surprised. We think it’s our best yet-our catchiest, most collaborative, and most poignant.” – Aaron Cometbus [A red color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Pogues – Red Roses For Me [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Rhino)
After four decades, Red Roses For Me is still celebrated as a groundbreaking debut album from an unlikely group of supposed ne’er-do-wells from London. The album mashes traditional songs and instrumentals – about death and drink, love and London – with those of frontman Shane MacGowan’s – and all fueled by the punk ethos. Irreverent, powerful, unique and spirited, this album was the beginning of an incredible and unflinching journey for a London-Irish band whose music sparkles with the genius of its songwriting.
Porridge Radio – Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
“All the songs started out as poems,” says Margolin of the work that became Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me, “I wanted to challenge myself.” In a song, Dana argues, the writer can always hide behind the tricks of the music and well-worn techniques such as repetition. “In a poem, though,” says Dana, “it’s just words and that’s it.” Recorded in the Somerset countryside in early 2024 by longtime Big Thief and Laura Marling engineer Dom Monks, Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me is Porridge Radio’s new album and first new music in two years. The UK band’s new album is a coming-of-age moment inspired by burnout, the music industry, the brutal collapse of a relationship and – crucially – Dana’s own increasing immersion in her craft as an artist. “A lot of this album is about a more frenetic and desperate kind of love,” says Dana, “it is about completely losing my sense of self in a relationship, and the deep residue of insecurity and pain that lingered and clouded a new relationship.” [A white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Phil Ranelin – Tribe 2000 CD/2xLP (Org Music)
Tribe 2000 is a performance featuring Tribe Records founders Phil Ranelin (trombone) and Wendell Harrison (saxophone). The release is a celebration of Ranelin and his accomplished career, with four out of its five compositions being penned by him. Recorded in 2000, the session reunited the nucleus of the influential Detroit label at the behest of Harrison, while also bringing numerous seasoned side musicians into the fold to flesh out the arrangements. The project underscores the brilliance of one of the most innovative collectives in jazz music.
Calvin Richardson – Five Years Later… CD (Sono Recording Group)
Calvin Richardson started making hits in 1999. Since that time, he has amassed many radio and streaming hits, including “Can’t Let Go,” “More Than A Woman,” and “Treat Her Right.” New single “Ready For The Weekend” is a new start, and a continuation of the path Calvin has been on for the past 25 years.
Rubblebucket – Year Of The Banana CD/LP (EggHunt/Clandestine)
Rubblebucket is a through-and-through art rock dance band, virtuosic experimental musicians with a pop sensibility along the lines of Talking Heads, Prince, or Kate Bush. But there’s nothing retro about Rubblebucket’s sound; they’re mixing electronics with real instruments, especially horn sections (Alex plays trumpet, Kalmia sax) and they feel at home in the same universe as Caroline Polachek, SZA, or Chappell Roan. Listening to Year Of The Banana, it’s impossible to overlook how joyful it is, how full of hope. [A yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Seventeen – (12th Mini Album – ‘Spill The Feels’) [CARAT Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeen – (12th Mini Album – ‘Spill The Feels’) [FEEL BLUE Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeen – (12th Mini Album – ‘Spill The Feels’) [FEEL NEW Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeen – (12th Mini Album – ‘Spill The Feels’) [FEEL YOU Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
New release by the K-pop group.
Jake Shimabukuro / Mick Fleetwood – Blues Experience CD/LP (Forty Below)
Since gaining prominence in the early 2000’s, ukulele marvel Jake Shimabukuro has mesmerized audiences with his innovative and dynamic style, taking the instrument to dizzying new heights. Over a dozen solo albums, Shimabukuro has shown a knack for moving effortlessly between genres, sometimes in the same song. For his brand-new project Blues Experience, Shimabukuro joins forces with his friend, drumming legend and founding member of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood, to create a fresh new take on the Blues.
Skegss – Pacific Highway Music CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Pacific Highway Music reintroduces Skegss as the duo of Ben Reed and Jonny Lani, presenting their most masterful and fully realized work to date. The Byron Bay-bred band’s third full-length album brings a newly heightened creative energy to every aspect of their explosive yet introspective form of rock. Centered on Reed’s frenetic and playful lyricism, Pacific Highway Music finds Skegss exploring the more complicated elements of the human experience with sincerity and unabashed joie de vivre. [An indie store exclusive magenta color vinyl pressing is available.]
Stars – Set Yourself On Fire [Reissue/2004] CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
20th Anniversary Edition of Stars’ legendary album Set Yourself On Fire. New liner notes written by album producer Tom McFall. Includes two bonus tracks not widely available on other releases.
Swallow The Sun – Shining CD/LP (Century Media)
Shining, the latest album from Finnish doom metal band Swallow The Sun, encapsulates the profound duality of the human experience and the band’s enduring brilliance. The album explores the intrinsic challenges of being human, contrasting the beauty and purity within individuals with the transformation that occurs when we come together, chasing us away from innocence like rats from Eden. It highlights the struggle and disillusionment in human interactions. [An indie store exclusive marble gray color vinyl pressing is available.]
Benjamin Tod – Shooting Star CD/LP (Thirty Tigers/Lost Dog Street Band)
The fourth solo record from Lost Dog Street Band frontman Benjamin Tod, Shooting Star pays homage to multiple decades of country music through Tod’s highly revered and honest songwriting. [An indie store exclusive green smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]
Tungsten – The Grand Inferno CD/LP (reigning Phoenix Music)
New album by the Scandinavian metal band. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Records Presents: Studio One Power Mix! CD/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Brand new collection of Studio One killer tunes, focusing on the late ‘70s, ‘80s and beyond.
Walking Wounded – Bestial Condemnation CD/LP (Relapse)
Brutal metallic hardcore juggernauts Walking Wounded emerge from Cleveland’s notoriously gritty and aggressive underground music scene with a fresh take on the Rust Belt city’s storied heritage.
Jovin Webb – Drifter CD/LP (Howlin’ Dog)
Drifter is the sound of a blues life searching for a gospel redemption. “It’s me trying to figure out religion, women, my career, and everything I’ve gone through,” Jovin says. The twelve tracks on Drifter evoke a blues classicism without ever feeling nostalgic or derivative. Jovin Webb dazzled millions of viewers on American Idol with his bayou mystique, his humility, and his distinctive gravelly vocals. Now, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based artist steps forward with his debut album, Drifter, produced by multi-Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Kingfish). The 12-song collection is a vibrant mix of growling low-down blues, Jovin’s wailing harmonica, heartfelt soul ballads, and rowdy, Little Richards-style rock ‘n’ roll.
Whispering Void – At The Sound Of The Heart CD/LP (Prophecy)
There are elements of ambient, dark and Nordic folk, psychedelic prog, rock, and many more ingredients in the unique music created by Whispering Void. [A white color vinyl pressing is available.]
James Woods / Shooter Jennings – Hear The Thunder Crack CD (Breakheart Music)
“I always try and see the best of all possible worlds. To me life is a joy and possibilities are endless, and I believe every single human is capable of great things. So naturally, encouraging Jimmy to write lyrics was my first instinct. He’s had a wild life. And the more stories I heard, the more I felt he could spin all this beautiful chaos into poetry.” – Shooter Jennings
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
9th Wonder – Wonder Years [Reissue/2011] LP (Jamla/Fat Beats)
Finally back on vinyl, this 2011 release was the first proper full-length showcase for the Grammy Award-winning super producer. The signature soulful style of 9th’s beats was a sensation in hip hop and R&B-for underground fans and in the mainstream-and he played a leading role in bringing North Carolina to the forefront of American music culture in the 21st century. Featuring guest appearances by Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Raekwon, Masta Killa, Warren G, Marsha Ambrosius, Terrace Martin, Talib Kweli, Blu, Raekwon, Murs, Skyzoo, and more.
Alborosie – Soul Pirate [Reissue/2008] LP (evosound)
The Soul Pirate album was the result of Italian reggae star Alborosie’s six years at Geejam studios in Jamaica and in partnership with local artists. Featuring some of Alborosie’s most popular tracks like “Kingston Town” and “Herbalist”, this is part of the evosound 20th Anniversary special re-release collection. Translucent yellow colorway.
Basically Nancy – Wound LP (Graveface)
Basically Nancy is a four-piece band based in Savannah, GA comprised of Alayna Bowen on bass and vocals, Greta Schroeder on guitar and vocals, Shea Benezra on drums, and Lakin Crawford on guitar. The group started by playing local open mics and sloppily playing punk covers around town in venues they couldn’t legally drink in. Now years later, Basically Nancy performs all over the US and commands a room with original songs made up of heavy tones and aggressive lyrics combined with melodic sweetness. Their music portrays the experience of being a young woman and the frustrations that come with it.
Bear Hands – The Key To What LP (Cantora)
Bear Hands’ fifth LP The Key To What is not an act of desperation. They didn’t have to make another record. But after moving to a tiny town on the Oregon coast singer/songwriter Dylan Rau chopped some wood, learned to use power tools and started writing. Fueled by pharmaceuticals and a newfound inspiration, the band connected with super producer Elliot Kozel (Yves Tumor, SZA, Lizzo) and emerged with the finest album of their career. With The Key To What, the band makes their return to Cantora Records (MGMT, Francis and The Lights) and it is the album you didn’t know you needed from a band of survivors beating on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Belair Lip Bombs – Lush Life LP (Third Man)
Third Man Records are thrilled to announce the worldwide signing of Australian four-piece The Belair Lip Bombs, and to reissue (excluding AUS/NZ) their 2023 breakthrough album, Lush Life. The record captures widescreen indie songwriting, helmed by Maisie Everett (guitar, keys, vox) and fleshed out by a talented trio of musicians in Mike Bradvica (guitars), Liam de Bruin (drums) and Jimmy Droughton (bass). Featuring previous singles “Stay Or Go”, “Gimme Gimme” and “Say My Name”, Lush Life is a perfect album for first-time listeners to immerse themselves in, and signals the arrival of The Belair Lip Bombs. For fans of The Strokes, The B-52s, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. [An indie store exclusive colorway is available.]
Black X Sea – Every Tree Shall Fall: One LP (Graveface)
Every Tree Shall Fall: One, the debut release by Black X Sea, is a captivating 22-minute journey of five seamlessly connected tracks. Chris Crisci of The Appleseed Cast and Gabriel Wiley of Mineral blend soothing dream pop with dynamic post-electronic elements, creating an immersive, ever-evolving soundscape.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – A Night In Tunisia [Reissue/1960] LP (Blue Note)
One of the great line-ups of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers coalesced when saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Bobby Timmons and bassist Jymie Merritt, as heard on the 1960 album, A Night In Tunisia. Opening with a fiery version of Dizzy Gillespie’s famous piece, the rest of the set showcased new bandmember originals.
Boobie Knight & The Universal Lady – Earth Creature [Reissue/1974] LP (Org Music)
Earth Creature by Boobie Knight & The Universal Lady is a vibrant and soulful album that encapsulates the essence of 1970s funk and soul. Originally released on Brunswick Records’ subsidiary Dakar Records in 1974, the album features a dynamic fusion of groovy rhythms, horn sections, and Boobie Knight’s charismatic vocals, driven by heavy psychedelic fuzz guitar. With its rich instrumentation and spirited performances, it stands as a testament to the funk era’s enduring influence. Tracks from the record have been famously sampled by artists such as Outkast, N.W.A., and 50 Cent, among others. [A sunkissed yellow colorway is available.]
Cory Branan – The No-Hit Wonder [Reissue/2014] LP (Bloodshot)
Bloodshot celebrates the 10th anniversary of No-Hit Wonder with this Barrel Select edition. Barrel Select exists to highlight the best of Bloodshot’s cask-strength catalog and there’s no doubt that the No-Hit Wonder sits proudly on the top shelf.
Donald Byrd – Royal Flush [Reissue/1961] LP (Blue Note)
Donald Byrd was off to the races after joining Blue Note in 1958 and had fully hit his hard bop stride by 1961 with his excellent album, Royal Flush. Joining the trumpeter was a state-of-the-art rhythm section, featuring Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, plus Byrd’s frequent collaborator Pepper Adams on bari sax.
Bush Of Ghosts – Buddhists Tracks [Reissue/2001] LP (Rewind Dubs)
The first album by Bush of Ghosts, an Osaka-based band from the early 2000s, is being reissued on LP. This is the second in a series of Japanese dub reissues on the Rewind Dubs label. This is the first album by Bush Of Ghosts, a band based in Osaka in the early 2000s. The sound, which combines elements of Jamaican music such as roots reggae and dancehall with flavors of Latin American music such as cumbia and Afro-Cuban, is undoubtedly a unique work that leads you into a psychedelic world filled with humor and pleasant grooves.
Mariah Carey – Rainbow [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
The 25th anniversary limited edition of Mariah Carey’s multi-platinum selling record, Rainbow, has been pressed on picture disc vinyl and includes rare photos from the era. Rainbow is Mariah’s seventh studio album, with #1 hits, “Heartbreaker” (ft. Jay-Z), “Thank God I Found You” (ft. Joe & 98 Degrees), the globally successful cover of “Against All Odds” plus more fan favorites. This deluxe album also features several bonus tracks including “Rainbow’s End,” a brand-new recording.
Johnny Cash – Original Sun Sound Of Johnny Cash [Reissue/1964] LP (Sun)
Limited transparent violet color vinyl LP pressing. Unreleased until 1964, six years after Johnny Cash’s 1958 departure from Sun Records for Columbia Records, Original Sun Sound Of Johnny Cash spans both his first and final recordings for the label. The early “Wide Open Road” shows the singer still under the influence of Hank Williams, but the sardonic, Charlie Rich-penned “Thanks a Lot,” from one of his final Sun sessions, finds Cash beholden to only himself.
Chinese American Bear – Wah!!! LP (Moshi Moshi)
Color vinyl pressing. Chinese American Bear is a C-pop duo currently based in Seattle who create eclectic bilingual (English/Chinese) ear candy. Composed of married couple Bryce Barsten and Anne Tong, the pair make music that blends Chinese mando-pop and the Western indie pop canon, writing songs that flit between English and Mandarin, capturing a spirit of cross-cultural joy and longing, that is often poignant while never losing its sense of fun. They’ve been described as if The Flaming Lips, Dusty Springfield, and The Beach Boys had a baby with Care Bear. The album is full of comedy, groove, quirk, and cuteness with melodically rich instrumentation, bits of psychedelia, doses of funk, and a lot of lyrics about filling up your belly with food.
Olvier Coates – Throb, shiver, arrow of time LP (RVNG Int’l)
Oliver Coates’ Throb, shiver, arrow of time is a portal into somatic chiaroscuro, aglow with the embers of imperfect memories and smudged with the plumes of internal echoes, which augment in vast, mercurial dimensions. The ten compositions of Throb, shiver, arrow of time find weightless melodies soaring across after-image gradients, while Coates reaches further to collapse the digital into the analogue and vice versa, allowing serendipity to reorganize the material and push out against the confines of flatness.
Daddy Yankee – El Cangri.com [Reissue/2002] LP (Gasolina)
Limited edition clear vinyl. With El Cangri.com, Daddy Yankee continued to build his reputation in reggaeton. The album features a blend of high-energy tracks and more melodic songs, including hits like Llamado de Emergencia. It highlights his growing versatility and his deep connection to Puerto Rican street culture.
Daddy Yankee – Barrio Fino [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Gasolina)
Double white color vinyl pressing housed in gatefold jacket. A landmark release, Barrio Fino catapulted Daddy Yankee to international fame. Known for its breakout hit “Gasolina”, the album features a mix of energetic reggaeton tracks and smooth melodies, exploring themes of urban life and celebration. It played a key role in bringing reggaeton to a global audience
Daddy Yankee – Los Homerun-es [Reissue/2005] LP (Gasolina)
Limited edition clear vinyl. This album solidified Daddy Yankee’s status as a reggaeton powerhouse. Los Homerun-es includes tracks like “Pose” and “Shaky Shaky,” known for their infectious beats and dynamic energy. It reflects his ability to maintain relevance and innovation within the reggaeton genre.
The dB’s – Repercussion [Reissue/1981] LP (Propeller Sound)
The dB’s 1981 second album and power-pop classic is available once again and newly remastered. Pop Dose noted “Repercussion is essential listening. It is necessary. It is pure and magnificent. It is a triumph… listen to it and absorb it.” Uncut stated “…this is The dB’s’ finest, the tension between the two writers’ styles reaching its quasi- psychedelic peak.” 9/10.
DJ Rude One – Upper Space LP (Closed Sessions)
New album by the beloved hip-hop DJ/producer/turntablist.
Doja Cat – Scarlet To CLAUDE 2xLP (RCA)
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Doja Cat’s critically acclaimed album Scarlet 2 CLAUDE, deluxe cream color vinyl is available now.
Robbie Fulks – Gone Away Backward [Reissue/2013] LP (Bloodshot)
Raise a glass to the latest entry in Bloodshot’s Barrel Select Series. Barrel Select exists to highlight the best of Bloodshot’s cask-strength catalog. Robbie Fulks has made some of the finest records we can claim as our own, but if there’s only room for one on that sacred shelf at the top, it’s Gone Away Backward.
Gila – Domain Expansion LP (Lex)
Translucent ice blue colorway. Returning to Lex Records with twelve genre-defying cuts, Gila’s Domain Expansion LP seamlessly blends elements of club, ambient, and hip-hop-infused electronics.
LP Giobbi – Dotr 2xLP (Counter)
Solid white colorway. Producer, DJ, pianist and activist LP Giobbi shares Dotr, her highly anticipated full-length sophomore album on Ninja Tune imprint Counter Records. The album is a huge step up for LP and features some of the biggest names of today including Portugal. The Man, Brittany Howard (on a reinterpretation of Alabama Shakes’ “Don’t Wanna Fight”), Jacob Banks, Danielle Ponder, Panama, and Mascolo.
Laura Jane Grace and The Mississippi Medicals – Give An Inch LP (Well Kept Secret)
The Mississippi Medicals are Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!), Paris Campbell Grace, Matt Patton (Drive By Truckers) and Mikey Erg. Give An Inch is their debut EP.
Mary Guthier – Drag Queens In Limousines [Reissue/1999] LP (Kill Rock Stars)
Translucent ruby colorway. 25 years ago, this record sprang on the scene— a record holding a voice impossible to draw comparison to, and lyrics and stories alien to anything that resonated from The Opry’s stage beforehand. Mary was the first openly queer person to play The Opry, and for us at KRS, this record encapsulates things new, exciting, bold, while being an absolute standout to what the realm of Americana has to offer. This is an authentic American experience, cliches weren’t needed. Mary is a legend. This record will always feel new, exciting, and bold.
H.E.R. – I Used To Know Her [Reissue/2019] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
H.E.R. celebrates the fifth anniversary of her acclaimed sophomore album, I Used To Know Her. For the first time, the album will be available on vinyl as a gatefold LP on slightly gold vinyl. This release includes all 19 original tracks, featuring fan favorites like “Could’ve Been” (featuring Bryson Tiller) and “Take You There.”
The Intima – Peril & Panic [Reissue/2003] LP (Post Present Medium)
Featuring a classically-trained violinist, custom-tuned guitars that careen at odd angles, and an imaginative and powerful rhythm section, The Intima explored the intersection of art-punk and agitpop with a spirit and tenor uniquely their own. In 2017, the Polish website More Noise summed up their sound by saying that “the first association that comes to mind is The Ex and the Dutch avant punk scene of the 1980s, but fans of the bands Dirty Three, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Unwound may also be intrigued.”
Giogos Katsaros – Giorgos Katsaros LP (Mississippi)
Songs of madness and longing from the Greek underworld – hypnotic acoustic guitar riffs and vocal dirges by the legendary George Katsaros. A living link to the earliest days of Greek rebetika music, Katsaros performed for the Greek Diaspora in America, rising to fame in the early 20th century. He dropped out of view for decades before re-emerging to critical fame and adoration in Greece, living until well into his 90s (or 100s depending on whose timeline you believe).
Kount Fif – Ascension LP (Man Bites Dog)
A seasoned producer hailing from Virginia, Kount Fif reached out to the finest artists working to collaborate on his new album. With appearances from the likes of Killah Priest, Bless Picasso, Ruste Juxx, Chino XL, Copywrite, Daniel Son, Bobby J, Mopes, Davy Fresh, Timbo King, Double A.B. and more.
Lisel – The Vanishing Point LP (Ba Da Bing)
Fables of the future fuel the present. Lisel (Eliza Bagg) draws from this tradition on The Vanishing Point, a daring musical odyssey of altered singing, experimental pop, broken melodies, and striking electronics. A culmination of her continual dissemblance of genre, Lisel’s new album is an epic composed of allegorical tales, forming a dystopian storybook of life in the shadow of impending catastrophe. It’s a high-concept work of contemporary pop sounds, hyperpop motifs and tropes. Every song reflects the shared psycho-emotional experience of moving towards unsettling futures and looking beyond these outcomes, to the point where the horizons vanish.
Lucki – S*x M*ney Dr*gs LP (Lucki)
S*x M*ney Dr*gs is the third studio album from Chicago rapper Lucki. ‘Sweetart’ color vinyl pressing.
Mammoth – Mammoth LP (Riding Easy)
Mammoth is a grabber right out of the gate, every step they take is unleashed with deadly economical precision. They may flash on Lynyrd Skynyrd and other vintage southern rock traditions but the brilliant way the vocals are recorded and the to-the-point interlocking guitar moves will fire up anybody into any sort of hard rock.
Man-Eaters – Quatro Muchachos LP (Feel It)
Quatro Muchachos is the third Man-Eaters entry in an ongoing tale of crushingly primal punk rock that asks only one question of its listeners, will you raise your lighter to their rock? Inhale, hold, and release. Get ready for a lifelong addiction to the purest rock on the streets.
Marcin – Dragon In Harmony LP (Masterworks)
Marcin effortlessly blends melody, harmony, and hand-drum-style percussion across a genre-fluid collection of original compositions and covers on Dragon In Harmony, his highly anticipated full-length debut album.
The Mars Volta – Tremulant 12” [Reissue/2002] LP (Clouds Hill)
The Mars Volta – Bedlam In Goliath [Reissue/2008] LP (Clouds Hill)
The Mars Volta – Octahedron [Reissue/2009] LP (Clouds Hill)
Vinyl reissue of The Mars Volta’s debut EP and fourth and fifth albums.
Midland – Barely Blue LP (Big Machine)
Gold color vinyl pressing. Grammy-nominated trio Midland return with Barely Blue, an 8-song collection exploring the tides of loneliness and the stoicism of holding one’s own while imbuing an unparalleled sense of vulnerability that breaks down the facade of masculinity and honors the spirit of loving, losing and moving on. Lead singer/guitarist Mark Wystrach, bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy and guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson lean into a space where loneliness is acknowledged, life goes on and steel guitars are what binds it all together.
Blue Michell – Blue Soul [Reissue/1959] LP (Destination Moon)
Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Blue Soul is an album led by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell recorded and released in 1959.
The Muffs – Blonder And Blonder [Reissue/1995] LP (Omnivore Recordings)
The Muffs’ debut hit the scene in 1993 and was an instant smash. Any fear that they could follow it up successfully was answered when Blonder And Blonder arrived two years later. Now a three piece, The Muffs again teamed up with producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Paramore, Fleetwood Mac) and delivered 14 even better Kim Shattuck penned powerhouses, including the hit single “Sad Tomorrow”.
Gerry Mulligan – Spring In Stockholm: Live In Sweden, 1959 LP (Newland)
During a scorching European tour in 1959, Gerry Mulligan appeared with the Night Lights band at the peak of their powers. Released in conjunction with the Mulligan Estate, this set of recordings has never been officially issued. Mastered and cut from the original tape transfers by Kevin Gray, it features a newly designed sleeve with a rare tour photograph and words from original bassist Bill Crow.
Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Sings Newman [Reissue/1970] LP (Sony Legacy)
While Nilsson began coming into his own at the beginning of the 1970s, Randy Newman was virtually unknown to anyone outside the world of music publishing and almost nonexistent as a performer. The critical appeal that both would eventually (and rightfully) attain makes this artistic summit all the more poignant. Famously named “Record of the Year” by Stereo Review magazine, Harry Nilsson’s Nilsson Sings Newman stands well outside the mainstream of other LPs of this period – with Newman’s piano providing the sole accompaniment to the multi-tracked army of Nilsson harmonies and overdubs.
Ninetoes – POV 2xLP (Head To Toe)
POV is a definitive statement from Ninetoes, encapsulating his journey through the world of dance music. Fans can expect a diverse and dynamic album that traverses a spectrum of styles, including Afro house, acid house, techno, and hip-hop. Each track from the collection reflects his deep connection to the roots of electronic music, reimagined through his unique creative lens.
Nonconnah – Nonconnah Vs. The Spring Of Deception CD/LP (Absolutely Kosher)
Memphis spouses Nonconnah’s inspired mix of drone, shoegaze, ambient field recordings, and cloaked pop affections sonically carpet your psyche and fill the voids you didn’t know were there as if they were a craving you’ve carried with you for ages, finally sated. You may not move to this music, but it will change you like rain on a withered meadow. Feat. Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade) & Spaceheads.
Ostrally – Mystery Guests LP (Siltbreeze)
What you’ll find within the grooves of Misery Guests is a band assuredly zoned into what they’re laying down. It woozily rollicks in a way that’s fetchingly out of step & swings in a rural-like, roughhewn manner that’s unimpeachable. To say nothing of the out-of-time folk ruggedness stitched in, which makes these tracks seem almost plucked out of some mid-‘70s time warp that contemporary alt/retro bands could only dream of conceiving. And while its existence will forever remain bittersweet that Daly isn’t here to embrace its ultimate fruition, her spirit is forever locked into every nuance of this stone-cold masterpiece.
Samora Pinderhughes – Venus Smiles Not In The House Of Tears LP (Good Cloud Days)
Samora has gained accolades and notoriety in jazz and R&B spaces and though they are both present in this album, he and longtime producer Jack DeBoe set a goal of making music outside of genre. Instead, the focus is set on beauty, detail, emotionality, movement, tenderness, rhythm, and connection. Venus Smiles Not In The House Of Tears is a masterclass on the craft of writing lyrics, each word carefully chosen and woven together. Every song has a life of its own, as the album has evolved over 8 years of writing, rewriting, recording, re-recording, reflecting, and reckoning.
Pipe-Eye – Pipe-defy LP (Virgin)
Pipe-Eye’s 5th album, Pipe-defy, sees Cook Craig (also of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) exploring new sonic landscapes. With a groove-driven sound inspired by ’70s/’80s synth and funk, the album shifts from the lo-fi aesthetics of previous releases to a high-fidelity experience. Blending mesmeric synth rhythms with powerful basslines, Pipe-defy is a bold, genre-defying record that captures the quirky, melancholic essence of Craig’s artistry. Available on orange color vinyl.
Woody Platt – Far Away With You LP (Compass)
Debut solo album on blue color vinyl. One of the most charismatic frontmen in modern bluegrass, Woody Platt has played an important part in shaping the trajectory of bluegrass music over the past 20 years. As a founding member and lead singer for The Steep Canyon Rangers, Platt spent years touring tirelessly, many of them in collaboration with actor/comedian and banjoist Steve Martin, earning a Grammy award, multiple Grammy nominations, and international recognition in the process.
Caroline Polachek – Pang [Reissue/2019] LP (Caroline Polachek)
Caroline Polachek’s 2019 album Pang became a breakout success, heralding the start of her successful solo career that has propelled her to alt pop royalty. The album received praise across the board and racked up stellar reviews, as well as topping Dazed’s album of the year list and being shortlisted by The Guardian, Crack, Paste, GQ, Vice and many more. Now five years old, Pang has been repressed on limited edition gold color vinyl.
Ramones – Subterranean Jungle [Reissue/1983] LP (WB)
Two new colorways: lavender and violet. The seventh Ramones album, Subterranean Jungle marked a return to the roots for the band. Includes “Time Has Come Today.”
Terry Riley – Descending Moonshine Dervishes [Reissue/1982] LP (Beacon Sound)
Recorded in concert November 29th, 1975 at Metamusik Fetival in Berlin, Descending Moonshine Dervishes catches Riley farther down the timeline, post- his Persian Surgery Dervishes [1972], effectively marking another milestone in the birth of new age synth music as we’d come to know it; uniquely channeling jazz, Indian classical music and the sense of radical West Coast spirituality which would have been ripe in the warm air around that time.
Marty Robbins – The Return Of The Gunfighter [Reissue/1963] LP (Sony Legacy)
On this 1963 release, well-known country singer, Marty Robbins, continued to showcase his love for cowboys and six-shooters with a “sequel” to the successful 1959 album, Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs. The Return of the Gunfighter album even propelled Robbins to pursue acting just two short years later.
Savages & Tripcat – Imaginarium LP/Cassette (Cold Busted)
In their captivating collaborative album, Imaginarium, the dazzling duo of Savages & Tripcat invites listeners on a mesmerizing journey through downtempo, trip-hop, exotica, and chill-out soundscapes.
The Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland [Reissue/1987] LP (Elektra)
Grey marble colorway. The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band, formed in 1977 in Leeds. One of England’s leading goth bands of the 1980s, the band plays a slow, gloomy, ponderous hybrid of metal and psychedelia, often incorporating dance beats; the one constant in the band’s career has been deep-voiced singer Andrew Eldritch.
Stan Smith & Wipe The Needle – Splash GDN LP (Inner Tribe)
Splash GDN is a beat forward collaborative release from the UK’s Wipe The Needle and Atlanta’s Stan Steam Smith, a classic solid no-frills hip-hop record with tinges of soul and funk; throwback in nature but forward thinking by design.
Sons Of Sevilla – Lullabies For A Wildcat LP (Ubiquity)
Sons Of Sevilla’s sound is inspired by early ‘70s records like JJ Cales Naturally & Nino Ferrers record with Radiah Et Le Sud, and Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. Their highly anticipated debut album, Lullabies For A Wildcat, is a collection of tracks recorded at their family home in the summer of 2020. Shades of 70s psychedelia echo throughout, with tripped out layered vocals building a vibration that seems way beyond their years, like a hazy hedonistic cloud of smoke in surround sound.
Souled American – Notes Campfire [Reissue/1996] LP (Scissor Tail)
Souled American formed in Chicago in 1986 and recorded a total of sixty-six songs between 1988 and 1996. Though not ever popular themselves, their evolving hybrid of roots / rock music heavily influenced many more popular bands to come, among them Wilco, The Jayhawks, The Feelies, Califone, Counting Crows, The Mountain Goats, and Cracker. Their records became legendary, unavailable for decades.
The Specials – The Specials [Reissue/1979] LP (Chrysalis)
Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Includes OBI. The Specials are one of the defining bands of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s along with Jerry Dammers’ iconic label Two Tone Records. Originally formed in 1977 as The Coventry Automatics, The Specials combined Jamaican ska and Rocksteady mixed with the energy of punk and launched a whole Ska Revival which helped fellow like-minded bands Madness, The Beat and The Selecter to release their first singles.
The Starting Line – Say It Like You Mean It [Reissue/2002] LP (Geffen)
The Starting Line’s debut studio album, Say It Like You Mean It, newly remastered on vinyl. Originally released on Drive-Thru Records in 2002, it features the hit single, “The Best of Me.”
The Stranglers – La Folie [Reissue/1981] LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Vinyl reissue of the iconic British punk/new wave band’s sixth album.
The Supremes – A Bit Of Liverpool [Reissue/1964] LP (Motown)
Motown boss Berry Gordy sought to position The Supremes as America’s musical ambassadors, capitalizing on ‘Beatlemania’ and some friendly transatlantic competition between Detroit and Liverpool. Recording during a visit to Motown’s second ‘Hitsville’ studio in Los Angeles, A Bit Of Liverpool features five covers from the Beatles, as well as popular songs from the Merseyside scene by The Dave Clark Five and Mitch Murray, plus two originals from Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy.
The Temptations – Sky’s The Limit [Reissue/1971] LP (Motown)
Following three “psychedelic soul” albums produced by Norman Whitfield, The Temptations’ 14th studio album, Sky’s The Limit, marked a return to a more soulful, Motown sound. Released in 1971, tenor Eddie Kendricks would depart the group just before the album’s release but only after he contributed lead vocals on “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me),” which would become the group’s third #1 single and is frequently included in many “all-time best of Motown” lists.
Threshold – Extinct Instinct [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
2024 remix with bonus tracks. Yellow colorway. Originally released in 1997, Extinct Instinct is the third full length release from the English prog metal band Threshold.
Toe – Now I See The Light LP+MP3 (Topshelf)
Pink colorway. Since forming in 2000, Toe has synthesized everything from pop, post- and math-rock, jazz, R&B, and electronic into one of the most distinct sounds in rock music. Their debut LP the book about my idle plot on a vague anxiety (2005) left an unmistakable imprint across the splintered worlds of instrumental and experimental music, exploding the tenets of post-rock with writing and performances that channel the intensity of hardcore. Now I See The Light (2024), Toe’s fourth full-length album, is a bridge between the experimental restraint of their later work and the explosive abandon of their earlier output.
Pete Townshend – The Iron Man: The Musical By Pete Townshend [Reissue/1989] LP (UMe)
The Iron Man: The Musical By Pete Townshend is an adaptation of Ted Hughes’ story, The Iron Man, produced and largely composed and performed by Pete Townshend of The Who. It also stars Roger Daltrey, Deborah Conway, John Lee Hooker and Nina Simone. Released in 1989, it was Townshend’s fifth studio album and features the singles, “A Friend Is A Friend” and “I Won’t Run Anymore.”
Pete Townshend – Psychoderelict (Music Only) 2xLP (UMe)
Psychoderelict is a concept album written, produced and engineered by Pete Townshend. Some characters and issues presented in this work were continued in Townshend’s later opus, The Boy Who Heard Music, first presented on The Who’s eleventh studio album, Endless Wire (2006) and then adapted as a rock musical. This “Music Only” version is without dialogue and available for the first time on vinyl.
Train – Greatest Hits [Reissue/2018] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Released for the first time on vinyl, Train’s Greatest Hits celebrates 20 years of the band’s iconic and storied career so far, pulling together 16 of their smash hits including, “Drops of Jupiter,” “Calling All Angels,” and the Diamond certified, “Hey Soul Sister.”
Trash Boat – Heaven Can Wait LP (Hopeless)
Pink colorway. Emotive and raw, British (St. Albans) punk band returns with fourth album Heaven Can Wait. With Heaven Can Wait, the band effortlessly blends punk rock and post-hardcore, shining melody and searing lyricism.
Various Artists – Alley Of The Sun 2xLP (Not Not Fun)
Named in homage to the Malibu mystic music fountainhead, skewed through a smoggy sideways lens, the 16-song, 90-minute, double LP suite spans every shade of NNF’s Pacific palette: rainforest ceremony, skyway motorik, Tascam rapture, silhouette shoegaze, basement vapor, astral ascension, jazz shadows, 5th world tropics, lucid dream drone, desert quests, prophecy electronics, ritual wreckage. Equal parts snapshot, tapestry, and time capsule, the compilation reflects the breadth of NNF’s two-decade exploration and evolution, from simple soil to a sea of dunes. True undergrounds have no set sound or fixed polarity, only flashes of transient magic and forking paths, to be cherished and championed for as long as the candle lasts.
The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues [Reissue/1988] LP (Chrysalis)
Yellow colorway. 1988’s Fisherman’s Blues is the Waterboys’s fourth album, for which the band were joined by traditional Irish players over a three-year period, recording a mix of Irish trad, country, soul and rock, resulting in a stripped-down, folky sound which was a marked step away from the “big music” he founded and pursued in previous albums. It has been called their ‘warmest and most rewarding record’.
White Poppy – Ataraxia LP (Not Not Fun)
Nine instrumentals of nimble guitar, elevated bass, clean rhythm, and clear light, gliding like swans on a shimmering pond. There’s a sense throughout of playful tranquility, of serenades at sunset, of kisses of blissful Muzak wafting along a Boardwalk.
Wild Pink – Dulling The Horns LP (Fire Talk)
The genesis of Dulling The Horns goes back to late 2022, when Ross began workshopping new material during soundcheck on the ILYSM tour. Last summer, Wild Pink decamped to western Massachusetts to reunite with engineer Justin Pizzoferrato. Ross decided to record Dulling The Horns live in the room, in an effort to capture Wild Pink’s onstage style – rawer, grainier. Gone are the glimmering atmospherics and studio affectations of recent Wild Pink outings. Instead, Ross’ voice is haggard against the humid distortion coating every song. If before, Wild Pink took notes from Springsteen and Petty, they’ve now entered their Crazy Horse era. On Dulling The Horns, you can hear him rediscovering the fire in real time. [A yellow colorway is available.]
Wild Rivers – Better Now LP (Nettwerk)
Clear pressing. Produced by Wild Rivers and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Adrienne Lenker), Better Now consists of eight tracks that complement the recent album Never Better, as the group dives deeper into the complicated, confusing and unknown realities of life in their twenties, and the personal growth they’ve found through it all.
Cassettes:
Kelly Finnigan – A Lover Was Born (Colemine)
The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of Midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope.
Karate – Make It Fit (Numero)
The first new music from the post-emo trio in two decades. Out of the brain of Geoff Farina spills 10 new tales from their unlikely reunion, tracked with long-time Karate collaborator Andy Hong. Make It Fit crams 35 minutes of Wes Montgomery homage, Fugazi dub plate party rocking, Lynott lyricism, and Clash city crooning into a graceful seventh album.
Pinhead Gunpowder – Unt (1-2-3-4 Go!)
“Pinhead Gunpowder started writing songs in 1990 and made our first 7-inch the following spring. Nearly every year since, we’ve met up to play. Some years we recorded five albums and eleven EPs – and some years we played shows. But since 2010, we’ve been playing just for ourselves, something bands forget to do. Rather than ‘writing for the new album’ or rehearsing to get ready for tour, we went back to the basement every year. We lived in the house we’d built, remembering how we’d made the music for each other in the first place. We played all over the world-well, at least Oakland, Singapore and New York-but only for each other. We worked on the reissues of our back catalog, too and found ourselves fonder of each other and more family-like than ever. A new record and tour was only a matter of time, but between the members’ other bands projects, and families, that was hard to find. When we finally did, we were all surprised. We think it’s our best yet-our catchiest, most collaborative, and most poignant.” – Aaron Cometbus
Savages & Tripcat – Imaginarium (Cold Busted)
In their captivating collaborative album, Imaginarium, the dazzling duo of Savages & Tripcat invites listeners on a mesmerizing journey through downtempo, trip-hop, exotica, and chill-out soundscapes.
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